Even though her husband is a prince and future king of England, it's clear that Kate Middleton wears the pants in her marriage. Not to downplay Prince William's role in their relationship, but Kate knows how to get things done. From her royal duties to her responsibilities as a mother and the extensive philanthropic work she takes on, Kate makes it all happen with poise and grace. We definitely admire a woman who calls the shots in her relationship.
Technically, William is the future ruler of England … whatever. We all know that Kate is the golden prize that William is lucky to have. From her kindness, her excellent parenting of Charlotte, Louis, and George, and her natural grace and style, Kate is clearly a winner. And guess what else? She clearly holds some mighty weight when it comes to their relationship dynamic, so Will must know that she is something special. Having a woman take the lead in a relationship is nothing to be ashamed of — in fact, it might just encourage more equality when it comes to child-rearing and parenting.
That's why we've rounded up some of our favorite photos of Kate looking her most confident and in charge. The signs are all there — take a look!
She Has His Back
Nobody is going to hassle Will about his fancy suit and top hat when he's got such a classy future queen by his side — who also happens to be wearing a hat, and is looking very classy while doing it (as always). Kate doesn't need to show off, because she has all the confidence in the world that's keeping her grounded (and keeping an eye on Will at all times, as she should).
Just Like Rosie the Riveter
Kate's Grecian goddess–worthy dress puts her toned arms on full display. Those biceps don't happen naturally, and we bet she knows how to use them if anyone gets out of line. Of course, we've always had a sneaking suspicion that, knowing Kate's work ethic, she's not exactly the kind of person to skip out on a day at the gym, but this picture is all the proof we need of that fact being true.
Pow, Right in the Kisser
There's always that chance that Kate was wearing these boxing gloves just for the photo, because after all, this duchess is never one to say no to a photo op. But we have a feeling that if she needed to defend herself, she'd totally be able to while wearing these bad boys. No one would dare attempt to give the Duchess of Cambridge sass after seeing this photo of her. She's fully prepared to defend her title.
Queen of the High Seas
Anyone who's been following along with Kate knows that she's a master sailor — every time we see her compete in the regatta, she definitely looks like she knows what she's doing, and outfits like this really drive that point home. Kate looks ready to command her own fleet of ships in this sailor-inspired look. Not only can she pull off nautical fashion, but we'd totally believe she could be a captain herself.
On the Campaign Trail
Kate looks like she could be campaigning for a certain US election with all the red, white, and blue featured in this photo. She certainly pulls off primary colors well enough to rock the campaign trail. Her commitment to empowering women and supporting the disadvantaged certainly wouldn't hurt her poll numbers — and neither would her dedication to her favorite charitable causes.
Back at It Again With the Public Speaking
Kate is really growing into her role as a public speaker, and she becomes more poised with every speech she gives. We'd say that makes her a pretty impressive royal in her own right. Of course, when it comes to things like public speaking, practice makes perfect, but that doesn't always make it easy. Seeing Kate standing up there, though, it's clear to see that she definitely commands attention.
Setting Sail
We know Kate and William are just about the greatest couple in all the land, but Kate knows how to have fun on her own time too. She looks perfectly comfortable here as she gets ready to sail with a team of athletes, and like we mentioned earlier, she's pretty darn good at all things boating. Happy and confident on water or on land — that's the Kate Middleton we know and love.
Move Over, Mary Poppins
Kate knows how important it is to support kids' creativity, and she doesn't let anything get in the way of her charity work. Here she is opening a magic garden, because she can make anything happen. All things involving nature, children (her own and other people's, duh), and philanthropy are definitely her jam, and she looks ready to make a difference standing up at this event.
Target Practice
Seriously, is there anything (or any sports) that Kate has tried her hand at and wasn't immediately good at? Her talent knows no bounds. Besides, Will isn't going to give any trouble about what's for dinner after seeing this demonstration of Kate's archery skills. She's probably too classy to take him out with a bow and arrow, but we wouldn't blame him if he slept with one eye open that night.
Jane of the Jungle
Although Kate is literally wearing the pants here, she also looks incredibly poised and ready to explore Bhutan. If there's anything this lady knows how to do, it's how to choose outfits that are perfect for her while traveling, no matter what the activity might be that day, and this is one of them. She knows how to glam up for a formal event, but we love when she dresses like this as well.
Just Playing
We're sure Kate was just horsing around when she threw snow in Will's face, but it also might have been her way of subtly reminding him who's in charge — not that we think she ever lets him forget it! These two have always seemed to have such a fun relationship, and this is one of the prime examples that proves it. We love how they're always having a great time together, no matter what.
The Most Regal
This pic shows Kate at her most regal. If Kate gave a TED talk about looking confident and in charge at all times, we would sign up in a heartbeat. Yes, her husband is at her side — where he tends to be when they attend royal engagements like the one they must have been off to when this photo was taken — but Kate's definitely taking command of the crowd around her like nobody's business.
Easy Breezy Beautiful
Even the breeze knows Kate is in charge as it tousles her mane of hair ever so luxuriously. OK, so we know that everyone (even the Duchess of Cambridge) takes bad photos, but we're pretty convinced that most of the time, Kate's looking pretty good, even when the wind is at its worst, like what's happening here. But she's never worried about it, because she has all the confidence in the world.
Perfectly Boss-like
Don't confuse Kate's ladylike appearance for weakness. She looked like a grade-A ladyboss in the peplum top and pleated skirt ensemble she wore while visiting the National Portrait Gallery in London. Yes, it's a soft pink color, but it's also a power suit — and once again, Kate's proving that even ladies who look good in pink can also look like (and be) total badasses.
Daenerys & Co.
The Khaleesi always has at least one dragon at her beck and call. They don't make her powerful — they simply help get her point across. We're not saying that Kate would ever want to exist in the same universe as Game of Thrones, but if she did, we wouldn't be worried about her survival skills whatsoever. This is a dragon, yes, but is Kate concerned about it? Not in the least.
Tamer of Babies
We've known for a long time that Kate is excellent with her own kids, but did everyone know that she's also great with other people's kids? She may as well be a baby whisperer! Parents know that it's touch and go when it comes to handing a baby off to a stranger, but she seems to be getting along with this little one just fine. She's got skills!
Ready for Anything
It goes without saying at this point that Kate, a true fashion icon, would look good in just about anything she wears, but how is it possible that she looks like she totally belongs in a construction helmet and this safety jacket?! She donned this outfit for a visit to the control center at Tata Steel in Wales, and she looked like she totally belonged there — and that she wasn't pulling any punches.
On the Red Carpet
Here's Kate's look from the 2020 British Academy of Film and Television Arts awards (otherwise known as the BAFTAs) in February. Yes, she's worn this dress before, but that doesn't mean it looks any less amazing on her — and, we must note, she totally knows how to get everyone's attention when she steps onto the scene. Yeah, Will's there, but he's not the one we're looking at!
All Business
No matter what the royal engagement in question is, Kate always shows up looking like she's ready to get things done, and somehow, all of her outfits seem to be power outfits. This gray and black ensemble couldn't have been more perfect for tackling the obligations of the day, and if she had the kind of job where she had to work in an office, she'd definitely win best dressed.
Commanding the Room
When Kate worked the room for the reception thrown in honor of the UK-Africa Summit, she looked like she knew what she was doing! Not only did she wear this show-stopping, glittery red gown that caught everyone's eye, but she also proved that she knows how to mingle. Here she is, in conversation with Prince Edward and his wife, Sophie, Countess of Wessex.
